Toss Boss Game Preview: Red Sox at Reds (March 28, 4:10 PM ET) — Singer vs. Gray, and Cincy’s Response Spot

The Reds dropped the opener 3–0, and that’s the kind of game that looks clean on the scoreboard but feels loud if you watched it. Now it’s Game 2 at Great American, and this is the early-season checkpoint: respond, or let Boston walk out of town with momentum.

First pitch: Saturday, March 28 — 4:10 PM ET Where: Great American Ball Park (around 46–50° at first pitch)Watch: MLB.TV Series: Boston leads 1–0

The matchup

Reds: Brady Singer (RHP) vs Red Sox: Sonny Gray (RHP)

This one sets up as a “who controls the count” game.

• Singer gives the Reds a real path if he’s living at the knees and getting ground balls. In this park, the mission is simple: keep it down, avoid the crooked number.

• Gray is a veteran who can shrink a lineup when he’s landing his breaking stuff early. The Reds don’t need to chase perfection—they need to make him work and force stressful pitches with runners on.

Quick snapshot (yes, it’s early)

Through one game:

• Reds team AVG: .125

• Red Sox team AVG: .333

That’s not a season statement. It’s just the current reality: the Reds need better at-bats, more traffic, and a couple swings with timing.

Bats I’m watching

Reds

• Sal Stewart has shown early life (.750 AVG, 1.250 SLG in the tiny sample). If he’s on time again, that’s your spark plug.

• Eugenio Suárez is off to a quiet start (.000). That’s not a label—just a reminder that one good swing can flip a game in this ballpark.

Red Sox

• Trevor Story already has 1 RBI and looks ready to be a problem in big spots.

• Roman Anthony is scorching early (.750). Small sample, but he’s seeing it.

Toss Boss keys (keep it fair)

How the Reds win

1. Singer keeps it mostly on the ground and avoids the big inning.

2. Longer at-bats vs. Gray—foul off the put-away stuff and force him into the zone.

3. Timely hitting early. Not a barrage—just a couple quality swings with runners on.

How Boston wins

1. Gray gets ahead and turns this into quick innings.

2. Singer leaves one up and Boston cashes it immediately.

3. Reds’ offense stays stuck in “one-hit-per-inning” mode.

Prediction (Toss Boss): Reds 4, Red Sox 3

I’ve got this as a tight, low-scoring game where one inning does the separating.

• Brady Singer: 5.2 IP, 2 ER — keeps it mostly on the ground and limits the big swing.

• Sonny Gray: 6.0 IP, 3 ER — solid overall, but one rough inning is the difference.

• Difference: The Reds scratch across a couple timely runs early, then the bullpen hangs on late to even the series.